A Tale of Two Hearts
by Sonanoka21093
Summary: The tale of how Satori and Koishi came to be, from Satori's point of view. Really, I have little else to add to this. An alternate theory on how satori work is in play within my stories, so do keep that in mind.
1. Telling of the Tale

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

M/N: I can't believe you said mine was that bad...

A/N: But Mystia, I only said that hers was better, not that yours was bad!

M/N: Hmph. You'll just open your mouth for any ol' bird, now won't you?

A/N: ...That sounds like a thinly veiled insult that calls me a slut, honestly.

M/N: _You know what I mean_!

A/N: Okay, just... just calm down, and put away the talons! Or at least the transformed talons - those things are downright frightening!

M/N: Chin~! Chin chin~!

A/N: Mystia, calm down! You're talking in only chirps now-!

M/N: Don't touch me, you traitor!

A/N: Wha- I never said that there were none I enjoyed more than yours! Heck, if you're going to act like a child about this, I might as well take my business elsewhere!

M/N: Y-you wouldn't!

A/N: I would. Who wants to eat at a place where the proprietor wants to attack you just for liking another place more?

M/N: I... I'm sorry! Please don't stop coming! You're one of the only regulars I have...

A/N: Okay, okay, I won't stop coming, okay?

M/N: ...Alright. Thanks.

A/N: You're welcome, Mysty. Now, this story was the child of a random bout of inspiration while I was doing dishes, combined with a bit of RP. I knew I wasn't quite in the mood for comedy, so I decided why not start yet another new story? As with Memoire of the Little Lost Umbrella, this story has an end in mind. Quite likely, it shall span under five chapters, and be done soon. I figured, why not write a story for the youkai I felt I had much in common with? A pair of hated youkai, who wish no ill to anybody. With that in mind, let's get on with the show! This chapter will actually do little but set the story up.

* * *

I smiled one of my rare smiles, which recently were becoming far less rare. "So you wish to hear a story, hmm? You wish to know just how my sister and I came to be as we now are? Of course, you could wait a week, and merely read my mind, but I know already that you won't. ...Dammit, I need to really stop doing that. Sister and I became hated in part for using our power willy-nilly, you know."

And so I gave one of them the chance to reply. The serious one, who rarely did act how her heart truly wanted to, asked, "But why? Why would anyone hate you for such a stupid reason?"

Knowing that she meant well, I replied, "Because humans destroy that which they fear. And that which they are unable to destroy, they merely try and banish. Reading the heart is a fearsome power in the wrong hands. We satori are the right hands, but evil eyes are known to abuse their intrusive mind-reading, which gives us all a bad name. Evil eyes and satori are from the same source, you know. We are like sisters. Sisters who kill each other, but sisters none the less. Or would cousins be a more accurate term? Semantics."

Once more pausing in my words, I waited for a reply, this time from the one who is more joyous, yet also tends to hide her heart from full view. Little to hide of note, too... "I understand the whole being hated thing, I think." She had a wistful smile on her face as she spoke.

I could only nod in reply to this. "That you do, dear... At least youkai have a reason to be hated. We _are _dangerous. We can _easily _kill humans at the drop of a hat, and I mean that literally in Koishi's case. I try to warn others not to touch that hat, yet so often do they not listen, and end up losing an arm. Sometimes I wish that we satori were less well equipped when it comes to natural weaponry. We have these claws which can easily be used to rake flesh, and enough strength to pull off arms. Of course, it _is _useful to be able to do both of these things, but so easily can they both be abused."

The one of the more serious personality once more spoke, asking, "Why _is _she like that over a hat? I can't imagine that being reasonable..."

I let out a sigh at the question, and replied, "She... has issues. You shall find out the why of this when I speak of this in the story. Trust me, although it's not the best reason, it _is_ a reason none the less. She loves that hat, and trust me when I say there is no replacement for it."

Having no defense for being told to trust me, the more bubbly of the two replied, "Well, if you say so. So, you going to start the story, or what? It feels like a good time as any to start it..."

Chuckling, I said, "Well, if you insist. Let's see, where to begin..." Taking a deep breath, I started with, "A long time ago - ohh, let's say about two centuries ago - Koishi and I used to be human, just as you two are. We were twelve and fourteen, respectively. I was the younger one, of course, as is indicated by our height difference. Unlike the two of you, we didn't have the luxury of meeting the satori that would change us face-to-face, so they... well, they came to us in our sleep. In our dreams, in particular. And let me tell you, that was a particularly interesting experience. The dreamscape is the most fascinating part of the mind - everyone produces a unique one, and all of them are... interesting. Mine was no exception, and is actually quite difficult to describe... There were... well..."

I began to rub my chin in thought of just what my dreamscape was like. Or, to be more exact, how to put it into words. "It was... it was quite pink. Let's go with that. Everything was quite pink within it, save for the blue woman. The woman who would be my mother, who had blue hair. It was a soft blue, and it matched her soft blue eyes so perfectly. That black sunhat of hers looked quite nice against that cotton candy-like hair, which was so very fluffy. Of course, I had no idea what cotton candy was back then, so I merely thought it looked..." I blushed a little, and said, "...Cool."

Raising a brow, the serious one asked, "You thought blue hair looked... _cool_?"

I nodded, and replied, "I am not proud of it, but yes. And that was the main reason I accepted. Because I wanted cool hair." I blushed quite a bit more at the thoughts racing through their heads, my cheeks now matching the soft pink of my hair a bit, but otherwise ignored them as I added, "And so I found myself being stolen when I woke up. I, along with my sister, was being slung over the shoulder of the youkai as she stalked through the night. It was quite the interesting experience, really... Koishi was sleeping like a baby the whole way" I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at the memory.

Tilting her head, the serious one asked yet again, "The whole way? I never knew that Koishi was such a heavy sleeper..."

Smiling, I replied, "You know, you two really should start referring to the two of us like parents. You've already been impregnated, so it is only a matter of time until we truly are your new parents."

At this, the serious one began to blush as well. "K-Koishima, then..."

Getting back to the story, I said, "And then, when we were back at the cave she called home, she gave us one last chance to reject her offer. Said that she wanted only the willing to help her continue the species. We both were happy to agree. But... Koishi, she would eventually deeply regret this decision. Of course, as she couldn't do the same trick as Koishi now can, she was spotted as she 'kidnapped' us. A mob was formed to destroy the youkai... And by the time they came to kill her, we were already passed the point of no return. Not that they knew. After taking care of mother, they didn't even bother to check the cave. Figured we were eaten, I suppose. All that was left... was her hat. Koishi took it upon herself to wear it, and care for it. She hasn't let that hat down since, even in her loss of consciousness. You could even say that it made her more aggressively look after it. Although, it was some time before she would close her eye. Before she would grow tired of the senseless hatred aimed at us..."

This time, it was the bubbly one to speak up. "Koishi really loves that hat, doesn't she? I never thought it would have such a heavy meaning to it...

I could only nod in reply. She truly does love that hat...


	2. Pink Sand and Blue Sea

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

Y/N: ...That chapter felt very awkward.

A/N: Yeah, I've realized this.

Y/N: Is there any reason why it did?

A/N: Well, I was unable to name the two children, as that would spoil things, not to mention that the A/N was originally meant for another story. 2FP, to be exact. It didn't feel like an introduction at all...

Y/N: Technically the story has only just begun as of this chapter.

A/N: True... But still, you realize that the story has already been told in full, correct?

Y/N: Ahh, but there is a difference between telling a tale, and living a tale. Before, details were few and far between. In the rest of the story, the details will be far more interesting, as it will be from a more active perspective, who is actually living through it all.

A/N: I suppose you've a point.

Y/N: Of course I do. I always have a point, no matter much I play around.

A/N: Even when you turned everyone into men?

Y/N: I was quite entertained.

A/N: ...Right, you never said a _good _point, did you. Anywho, how about we get on with the show?

* * *

I smiled a bit as Mama saw me off to bed, and said, "Goodnight, sweetie." With that, she blew out her light, and slid the door shut. It was the sort of darkness you could see, even if it was too dark to see. My eyes night-blind, I had no ability to see at all, really.

I was never one to be afraid of the dark, but... I also couldn't shake the feeling that there was something in the dark. Nothing that wanted to hurt me, but still, something at _all_ is really kinda... _spooky_.

None the less, I still managed to drift off to sleep, a trio of gently glowing blue eyes burning a hole into my mind's eye as I did.

Slowly opening my eyes, I found myself to be in a land of bubblegum pink, which looked quite childish. It had simple geometry to it, and seemed to go on seemingly forever. I walked, and walked, and eventually ended up finding more than pink. I was on a beach of pink sand looking into a blue ocean. I wasn't sure why, but my mind kept screaming for me to wake up, or to at least stay far, far away from the ocean.

So I jumped in. Surprisingly, there was nothing strange below the surface of the alien waters. Nothing that could prevent me from breathing, either. Nothing but open air, with a sky of pink, and a full moon of... blue?

No, that's an eye. Watching me. I merely waved to it with a smile, and watched as a single tear of blue dripped from it, landing before me, and staining the pink sand blue a bit as it landed. Moments later, the blue sand faded back to pink, and a woman was there before me, rubbing her head as she pulled herself from the ground. The woman wore nothing but blue, had blue hair, blue eyes, and seemed alien against everything pink. Frighteningly so. Even her skin was that same blue. She pulled herself to her feet from the sand, and offered me a hand with a smile, a crooked wide-brimmed hat hiding one of her eyes from view. She had a giant grin on her face as she did, which looked incredibly friendly.

Save for the jagged, pointed teeth, that is. They really cried out that I shouldn't trust her at all, and that I should instead try and get away from her.

So I took her hand with a smile. As soon as I touched her, she flew up, and we both came out of the blue ocean, neither of us wet. She took us back to the pink beach, and said, "You are a very trusting one, aren't you? Brave." As she spoke, the pure blue of her began to fade, leaving her skin a flesh-tone, turning the blues of her eyes white, but leaving the blue irises behind, and I noticed something particularly odd about her. She had this noodly red orb floating there, the ends of the noodles stuck to her hands, feet, chest, and head. It looked like it was both a part of her, and yet separate. In the center of the orb, a blue eye watched me unblinkingly, like looking like it was made of glass.

So I gave it a poke. The surface of the eye was hard as rock, yet smooth as can be. It reminded me of the eye of a snake. With a giggle, I replied, "Your eye is funny..."

Grinning, the woman replied, "You're quite brave to try and poke a satori in the eye. Can I keep you? Pleaaase?" She gave me begging eyes as she asked nicely to keep me.

Tilting my head, I asked, "Keep me?"

Grinning once, she replied, "I could make you so much more than you are... You would have a long life, the ability to know what others are thinking, and grow capable of being smarter, all in one week. Few would be able to match the mind that comes with being a satori..."

At this I rose a confused eyebrow. "But... I already am Satori? How can I get any more me?"

Giggling, the satori asked, "Ohh? What a fitting name... It's as if you were meant to become my child... So, what do you say, Satori? Would you like to become more than you are?" She had the widest smile on her face as she once more offered her hand.

Honestly, I was unsure, and yet still she smiled brightly. "Would it... give me pretty hair, like yours...?"

Looking about, the girl replied, "...You'd probably have pink hair."

With a happy little squeal I accepted her hand, and everything went black. When I eventually awoke, I found myself being carried, and on the opposite shoulder to my snoring older sister.


	3. Moonlit Walk

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: Maybe I should talk to Satori for the duration of this fic.

K/N: Why sis? Why not me...?

A/N: Koishi? Well, I didn't mean anything by it, you know.

K/N: That I do.

A/N: Then why act as if you don't?

K/N: Because many would hate me for it - hate _us _for it.

A/N: Right... I guess that's the sort of thinking that got the two of you banished after all. Not much that can be helped.

K/N: And so, even if I already know that you wouldn't hate me for it, I must do it for the benefit of those around you. Even if you have no actual friends.

A/N: Did you have to say it like that...? Just because I have no friends that I know in person doesn't mean I lack friends.

K/N: Sorry, I guess that came out oddly, didn't it? I meant no harm by saying that, you know.

A/N: That I do.

K/N: Of course - you are the one who holds all the cards, after all. You know as much as I do and more. You know more than the paltry sum that reading minds can uncover...

A/N: That I do. So, what brings you here? Just want to bug me?

K/N: You aready know why, but I shall say it anyways. I merely came here to entertain your audience.

A/N: Ahh, and entertain you did!

K/N: That I did...

A/N: Well, with that bit of conversation out of the way, how about we get on with the show?

* * *

Dark... I found myself being carried over a shoulder through the dark night, and yet... why is it so relaxing...? As I was about to speak, the one carrying me asked in a familiar voice, "So you're awake, are you? I expected you to have stayed asleep through the whole trip, honestly."

I tilted my head a bit at that, and asked, "Where am I...?"

Sounding like she was amused, the woman replied, "On my shoulder, little one."

I let a pregnant silence settle in between us for the next few moments, before eventually asking, "...Where are _we_?"

Sounding even more amused than before, the woman replied, "On our way home~"

At the answer, I began to knit my brow in frustration. She was avoiding the question. Why was she? "Why are you avoiding the question?"

Giggling a little, the woman answered, "That is a good question, now isn't it?" As soon as I began to growl in frustration, she added, "My home."

Raising a brow, my frustration vanishing in an instant, I asked, "Where's that?"

Chuckling, the woman replied, "In a cave, sweetie. You'll see."

My eyes now adjusting to the dark, I now saw her colorless form to be grinning. The vague form I saw, lit by naught but moonlight, seemed to be the girl from the dream. "...That wasn't just a dream, was it?"

Noting my eyes upon her, her eyes glowing ever so gently with a blue inner light, she said, "Your mind is very pink, is it not?"

Slightly surprised, I asked, "We were in my mind? But... how's that possible?"

Grinning a bit once more, the woman replied, "Because satori are being whose minds can intrude on the minds of another. I merely brought you to the inside of your mind, and led you to where I breached your defenses. Your instincts cried out to flee from such a dangerous place, but there you stayed. You didn't have to enter the waters of my own mind, but you did. You didn't have to take my hand, and yet you trusted me. You didn't have to accept my offer, and yet you did... And for that, I thank you, human."

From her shoulder, I tilted my head a bit. "...Human? Does that mean you aren't?"

Chuckling, the woman of my dreams answered, "Of course not - I'm a satori."

Blinking in confusion, I asked, "Does that mean... you want me to not be human?"

At this she gave a nod. "Indeed, I do. I want you to be more than human. To be a satori - my daughter."

I couldn't really think of a reply to that, so I went silent for an exuberant amount of time. My eyes now fully adjusted to the dark could see that we were passing through a forest on this night of the full moon. Breaking the silence, the satori asked, "You did say you would, correct?"

After the longest moment, I replied, "...Yes. Yes, I will." Even if the thought of not being human sounds so... so strange, I would keep my word.

Smiling as she continues walking along, carrying us like we weighed nothing, she said, "I'm glad. I'm glad to have found a daughter like you..."

Tilting my head, I asked, "...Daughter?"

Nodding, the inhuman woman replied, "That is what I ask you to become, yes. To become just like me - to become my daughter."

Still slightly confused, I asked, "But how? You have to give birth to get a baby, don't you?"

Grinning once more, the satori replied, "It works different for satori. We... I suppose it could be called... hmm... Well, I'm not sure what to call it, but know that you will be reborn as a satori. All I have to do is do something that will hurt a... _tad_, and then you will be one of us within a week."

I winced at the mention of pain, and asked, "H-how much will it hurt...?"

For the longest time, silence answered me. Eventually, the satori replied, "Well... I've had worse."

Thinking for a moment, I asked, "Scale of one to ten?"

Sighing, she replied, "Eight."

That was enough to make me go silent. I didn't know that pain would be involved... Looking to me, the non-human girl said, "Well, it's going to be some time before we reach home. How about you try and fall back asleep?"

I let out a sigh, not sure if I could. "It'd be pretty hard to fall sleep like this..."

Giggling, the woman offered, "Well, I could help with that."

At that I rose a brow. "...How?"

The three blue eyes of the woman intensified in brightness, and she said, "**Sleep.**"

I found myself unable to resist the command, and within a moment my world once more darkened. It wasn't long at all before I drifted back off to sleep, compelled to listen to the small request.


	4. Dimly Lit Cave Called Home

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: ...You know, I just realizes something.

K/N: And that would be?

A/N: ...You again, Koishi?

K/N: That's right. I know you hate seeing me ohh so very much, but it couldn't be particularly helped.

A/N: ...I kind of like you more with your eye closed.

K/N: Yes, but then you have to worry I might rip your arms off for touching my hat.

A/N: Wouldn't you do that anyways?

K/N: Yes, but I can at least be reasoned with when my eye is open, and it would depend on how you touch it. If you touch it roughly, I touch you roughly. Plus, I generally sound more sane about it.

A/N: You know, this is a very strange conversation to have.

K/N: That's what happens when you combine my human and open self, while giving them knowledge of the closed self.

A/N: True enough, I suppose.

K/N: Plus, you've made me out to be some sort of psychopath!

A/N: Well, you kind of are when your eye is closed. I took heavy inspiration from Heart Throbbing Adventure after all.

K/N: Please don't bring up that world. I would rather not think about what I'm capable of.

A/N: Right, sorry, sorry. Won't happen again. Anyways, how about we get on with the show?

* * *

The first thing I heard as I awoke echoed through my mind as if I were in a cave. I head a familiar voice, and it had a now familiar sort of authority to it. "**Wake up**," The voice commanded.

And so I did. My eyes gently opened as consciousness began to flood back into my wakeful mind. I found myself to be lying on something vaguely soft, my head resting on something even more soft, and a hand gently stroking my hair. In the air floated a mote of light, illuminating the cave I found myself to be within.

An even more familiar voice than the previous asked, "Couldn't you have just let her sleep while you did it?" It was a voice I had heard more than enough to easily recognize as my sister.

I looked up, and saw that my sister was looming over me, her breasts blocking her face from my view from where my head was laid.

And then I realized that I had my head resting on my sister's lap, and so quickly sat up with a bit of a blush on my face. Not that it's uncomfortable - it's very comfortable - but my sister's lap is not somewhere I would like to lay my head.

From the other side of the room of sorts, the woman from my dream replied, "Well, I just want to make sure she's sure before I did it."

Quirking a brow, my sister asked, "But didn't you ask sis the same things? Plus, you said you talked on the way here. Not to mention that being awake for it, she'll be in a lot of pain, right?"

Slightly nervous sounding, the woman replied, "W-well, I guess so, but... I just like to be sure, you know? I don't want to go stabbing children that have changed their minds..."

At the mention of being stabbed, I skittered across the straw-covered floor of the cavernous room on my butt, distancing myself from her, and backing myself against something hard, and moist. Looking up, I saw that it was tall, pointy, and made of stone.

Frowning, Koishi said, "Now you're scaring her... Do you have to be so blunt about it?" For the first time, I noticed that she had one of the red noodles sticking into both her chest, and the left side of her head, one end connected to each.

I also noticed that one of the red noodles the woman once had attached to her - the one that was once stuck to her left hand - was missing, while the one that was attached to her right hand was partially disconnected and in her hand. At the end of it, a rather long, and sharp needle simply jutted from it, looking quite threatening. "U-umm... What's with the noodly needle?"

Chuckling, the satori answered, "Well, as I said, I have to stab you to turn you." At the mention of being stabbed, I began to pale quite a bit. Frowning, she added, "If you've changed your mind, I would understand..."

Pouting a bit, sister offered, "If it helps, it doesn't hurt as much as it looks. Feels more weird than anything. Especially the end that goes in the head..."

Becoming less afraid at the reassurances of my sister, I asked, "...Really?"

At this she gave a nod, and replied, "Really."

Pausing for a moment to think about this, I soon asked, "Are you sure...? It sounds like it would hurt a lot..."

Sighing, sister replied once more, "I'm sure! Jeez, sis... I never knew you were such a big baby about pain!"

I furrowed my brow at the slight, and shouted, "I'm not! I'm not a baby anymore! I'm a big girl!"

Grinning, sister simply replied, "Then do it."

Once more I paled a bit, and timidly regarded the girl with the needle-tipped noodle. "I, umm... I'm ready..."

At this she nodded, and made her way over to me. "Now lie in the hay, and I'll get this over with."

I gave a nod, and left the stelag-whatever-it's-called I was leaning against. I never could remember the difference, not that it had ever been important before. From there, I began to lay down, eventually becoming still enough to begin to relax. Looming over me, the satori added, "Now relax. Nobody's going to hurt you. This may hurt, but it won't hurt you. Just close your eyes, and take deep breaths." I began to listen to the voice, letting my eyes close, and took long, deep breaths.

In.

And out.

In.

And out.

I repeated this a couple dozen times, and eventually calmed down completely.

Drawing one more breath in, I suddenly felt a sharp force slam into the center of my chest, and I let out a shrill scream-like squeak of pain as the air was forced from my lungs, my eyes shooting open. Gasping for air, I looked at my chest, and found the red noodle to be firmly stuck into my chest, a hand firmly holding there.

Smiling down at me, the bearer of the hand said, "And the first end is done." With that said, she began to mess with the other end of the noodle, and popped it out of the side of her eye.

It took another few gasps of air before I could shout, "That... that hurt a _lot_...!"

Chuckling, the satori replied, "As I said, it is an eight."

Rubbing my poor chest, I said, "I'd hate to find out what you call a ten... As far as I'm concerned, that _was _a ten!"

I heard her saying something under her breath, and so I asked, "What was that?"

She waved a hand before her face, saying, "Ohh, nothing, nothing. So, shall I do step two?"

Seeing the look of horror on my face, sister interjected, "It doesn't really hurt. Just feels funny, that's all. It'll be over before you know it."

Looking between the two of them, I let out a bit of a sigh. "Fine... Just... just get it over with, please."

With my consent given yet again, the satori began to part my hair with those sharp fingers of hers, looking for something. Just as I was about to ask her what she was doing, I felt something sharp sliding into my head, through the space between the plated of my skull.

When it had penetrated my skull, and was now among my brain, my vision began to blur, and I passed out. As I was still laying down, I didn't fall down or anything, but I did go out like a light.


	5. Last Meal

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: Dang it, now I can't remember what I was going to realize last time...

Y/N: And whose fault is that?

A/N: Yukari? Long time no see!

Y/N: It hasn't been _that _long.

A/N: ...Aren't you usually complaining about a lack of screen-time?

Y/N: Ahh, you've a point! Ahem... I dislike that I haven't been given any attention, even if our relationship has grown a bit stale...

A/N: Whoa, now you make it sound like we're going out or something!

Y/N: Well, we are talking often enough to be~ We're like an old married couple!

A/N: The thought of being married to you scares me a bit...

Y/N: Ohh, it's not _that _bad! Here, let me show you my moves~

A/N: Wha-! Wha... Mmm...

Y/N: You like it right there, don't you~

A/N: Why does this... feel so good...?

Y/N: I doubt anyone would be able to hate a good scalp rub~

A/N: Yeah, but... but... Mmm...

Y/N: Ohh my, she's drooling a little... How cute~

* * *

As consciousness began to return to me, I heard a great deal of whispers I couldn't decipher at all through a constant static. As I opened my eyes, I found the colors of everything to be off. Blue light shone in from the outside, flowing into the green cave, and the mote of light was gone. I had quite the headache, too. It felt like my entire skull was throbbing, and it throbbed especially hard where I felt something stuck in my head.

I gently touched where I felt the largest throbbing, and my fingers trailed over a sensitive noodle. I dragged my fingers along the length of it, and eventually noticed that it passed in front of my face. It was a green noodle, and for some reason I could feel it as if it were a part of me. I continued to follow the length of it, and it eventually came to the center of my flat chest, which was also tender. Undoing my now pink Kimono, I found the spot the tube was stuck in to be bruised from the sheer force that had been used to stick it in me, not that I was cognizant enough to remember this just yet.

I tried to tug at it, wondering why it was stuck in me, but it felt pretty stuck, and as if I was tugging on the bone it was attached to. I repeated the same on the other end, and I ended up blacking out again for my efforts.

* * *

Once more I regained consciousness, my eyes opening weakly. My head hurt a little less this time - still hurt, but less. Colors were as they were supposed to be, too. Before, it was as if everything had a randomized color. When I sat up to look around, I found that nobody else was in the cave at the moment, and that there was a note.

Picking it up, I began to read the crinkled thing. _Hey sis, we're going out for a bit! We'll be back with food soon. Mom's teaching me to hunt! Just have to use this nice big of strength I got, apparently. Ayways, we'll be back soon. _Never seen paper quite like this before... It's covered in evenly spaced lines.

Strength? I picked up a rock, and began to squeeze it, curious as to if it would go differently than I expected. Unexpectedly, it relented to my strength, and I broke it into three parts, crushing them a bit. "Whoa! That's..." I let the broken thing fall out of my hand, and land on the ground, leaving a little dust from how I crushed it to blow off into the wind. I coughed a bit, as that meant it was blown right into my face, and so I inhaled it. After I finished coughing, I started to hear those whispers again, accompanied by more of the same static from before. It was as if I was hearing it, and yet... not. I heard it not with my ears, but instead as if my mind was picking it up.

Before long, sister and our new mother returned, the static persisting as they smiled at me. Our new mother asked, "You're awake? Good. I was afraid I had harmed you, with how you blacked out like that..." She had a deer slung over her shoulder by one of the legs, and it was too still to be alive. I guess that means things were a success.

From behind her, big sis held an armful of sticks and such, which I could only guess were for cooking the deer. She seemed to be proud of something, with how she was grinning. "Sis, I caught a deer, and killed it with my bare hands!" It was at this point that I noticed that her hands were a bit bloody.

I smiled happily, and replied, "Really? That's great! I can't even imagine trying to do that..."

With a chuckle, our new mother added, "Well you will - I plan to get you both able to feed yourselves as soon as possible, you know. Gotta be able to take care... of... yourselves." As she said this, she began to look distant a moment, before sighing. "Koishi, why don't you put down the sticks, and I'll start a fire."

Nodding, big sister put down the sticks and asked, "Are you going to teach us how to start a fire, too?"

Chuckling, the older woman replied, "Not today, no. I have a trick you won't be able to do for at least a week. Step away from them, and I'll show you."

Complying, sister backed away from the pile. As we both watched with an air of curiosity to us, Mama's third eye began to light up, the light collecting in the very center of the eye. The two of us watched in amazement as a thin laser fired from the pupil of it, and quickly heated the wood enough to set it on fire. Before long, there was a nice little fire going, and the laser cut off. Noticing that we were both in awe, she asked, "What, were you not expecting that?"

All we could do was shake our head as she began to rip the legs from the deer, and skin two of them. Chuckling at the silent reply, she asked, "So, how are you two thus far?"

I wasn't sure what to say, so Koishi spoke first. "Well... it's very interesting! I like living with you... I feared I'd end up in an arranged marriage soon, so I'm happy to be able to spend more time with little sis." She had a sad smile on her face at the thought of being separated from me, or at least that's what I figured.

I smiled brightly at the confession, and replied, "I'd miss you if you were gone, sis... I'm glad we'll get to stick together now."

Chuckling, our mother asked, "What makes you think I won't marry you off?" At this, I looked to her a bit worried.

Raising a brow, sister answered, "Because you live in a cave in the middle of nowhere? Because you reproduce by stabbing others? I'm really thankful that you let me stay with my sister... I kind of... am afraid of growing up, and ending up a wife to someone I don't love. Or worse, for sis to end up like that."

Grinning, Mama replied, "Well, you won't have to worry about growing up. Satori stay young forever, at the point we became satori. You'll both be effectively the same age for the rest of your unnaturally long lives." As she said this, she placed the two legs over the fire and began to cook them, one in each hand.

At this, Koishi's eyes widened. "So we'll be twelve and fourteen forever? I won't have to... to fear growing old, and... and... _dying_?"

In response, our new mother shook her head, and replied, "No, you'll stay just as you are, just as I have stayed as I am for the past threehundred or so years, and just as my second mother stayed young for sixhundred or so years."

At the revelation that our mother is as old as she is, our jaws both dropped, and we went silent as we waited for our meals to cook.

Eventually they were done, and we began to eat. It was a meal I would remember well, not that I knew I would remember it, or why.

It was the first and last time we would feel like a family. It was the only chance we would have to simply sit and eat in each other's company. To enjoy the company of this new mother before she was gone.


	6. Too Quiet

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: ...Hey, Yukari?

Y/N: Yes?

A/N: Can I... call you Hito?

Y/N: You may, but I won't exactly treat you as your Yukari boneka from that bit of role play between you and your Begi.

A/N: I know... It's just... I feel a bit lonely right now, that's all.

Y/N: If you like, I could give you a hug. But I doubt you would accept. After all, I'm neither your Hito, nor am I Begi. Heck, I'm not even Cirno, not that you've been nearly as wanting of her attention of late.

A/N: A hug would be nice, thanks...

Y/N: Ohh? Well, I am not one to turn down permission to embrace someone~

A/N: Mmm... I feel so safe in your arms, Hito...

Y/N: Hmm... You really enjoy this, don't you?

A/N: Well, nobody ever hugs me. I'm only ever around a single person, really, so I never really have a chance to be hugged. ...You're really warm...

Y/N: Well, yes, I'm not exactly dead; I would certainly hope that I'm warm.

A/N: Err... I didn't mean it as an insult, you know...

Y/N: I was teasing you, lighten up~

A/N: I... see.

Y/N: Want me to let go yet?

A/N: Not yet.

* * *

I looked down at my bloody hands with a strange sense of satisfaction. I had just killed a deer with an ease that was surprising, to say the least. At my feet laid a deer I had snapped the neck of. As I had no skill in it, I ended up digging my fingers into the pelt of it, and awkwardly wrenching. I say that I snapped its neck, but I did a little more than that.

Looking down at my kill, Koishi asked, "Are you... okay?"

I smiled brightly up at her, and nodded. "Never felt better! Why?"

Koishi laughed awkwardly at my joy, and plainly stated, "You just ripped the head off of a deer."

Smiling softly, Mama said, "Good job, sweetie. You really showed that deer who's boss, didn't you?"

I gave her my brightest smile at the compliment, and replied, "Thanks, Mama!"

Making her way past me, our new mother picked up the deer by one of the hind legs, and said, "Unless either of you two want the head, how about we leave it?"

The two of us shook our heads very quickly at the thought of taking the head with us, to which our mother simply chuckled, saying, "That was a joke, you two; I already know that neither of you would want it."

With that said, she began to lead us back home. It wasn't a long trek, nor was it a short stroll, so we arrived in due time. When we arrived, the sun was beginning to set, so mother made another one of those motes of light. I wonder how she does that? It sounds pretty hard to do, making magical balls that glow like that, and yet she looked as if she was expending no effort as she did it. It was as if she wasn't even paying attention as she did it.

Setting the deer down beside the other deer, our mother began to grow distant in the eyes, as if she wasn't looking at the wall she was looking at. As she stared at the wall, her third eye began to look towards the mouth of the cave, and she stated, "You two, go head deeper into the cave, and wait there."

This surprised us to no end, and while I wasn't sure what to say, Koishi asked, "But why?"

Taking her hat off with a chuckle, Mama replied, "It seems I garnered unwanted attention when I abducted the two of you."

Eyes widening, I asked, "W-what? But you didn't! You took us after asking!"

Sighing, the older satori replied, "Be that as it may, it was still only known to the two of you - I never asked anyone else. Only the two of you know it was with consent."

Both of us were shocked to hear this, and sister made to let her displeasure be known. "But mom, why would you do that?!"

Placing her hat atop sister's head, she replied, "Do you really think they would have accepted? If we all did that, our species would be extinct by now. I'm the last there is, after all..."

At the revelation, the two of us gasped. Before either of us could speak, she added, "Yeah... I try not to mention that when I ask potential children to become more than just potential, but you've accepted. I have no reason to keep secrets. Another thing, watch out for evil eyes. They are the foe of the satori. They are our cousins, too. As the name points out, they're evil through and through. Well, I should be going. I need to take care of the humans..."

Eyes widening, sister shouted, "No! You can't kill them!"

Smiling, our mother simply replied, "I don't plan to."

This made our concerns die down in an instant, and we both let out a sigh of relief.

Chuckling, she added, "Now, go hide. They might react badly if they saw you like that." With that said, she headed outside.

Doing as we were told, we headed deeper into the cave, and hid behind some rocks. They were close to the wall of the cave, and quite tall, so we doubted anyone would be able to find us back here.

We waited in silence, and after about ten minutes I began to hear a great many more whispers than I was used to. I still couldn't understand it, but I was still at least aware that they were there. It was at this point that I realized that I must be able to read minds a bit. From the look on Koishi's face, she too realized this. I also noticed at this point that the dark wasn't quite so dark anymore, and that Koishi's brown eyes had a green inner glow to them.

After another ten minutes, I heard the quiet whispers fade to less than there were originally. Before, they were enough for two people.

Now there were only Koishi's.


	7. Denial

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: I feel better now. Thanks, Hito!

Y/N: You know, you will only confuse people by calling me that.

A/N: But... it makes me so happy! My Hito's here, ehe...

Y/N: You're drooling.

A/N: Wha- Wait, no I'm not...

Y/N: ...You know, technically we were never returned to our own bodies.

A/N: W-What are you getting at...?

Y/N: You know very well what I'm getting at~

A/N: ...Would you please explain for those of us who don't?

Y/N: It's quite simple, really. Your forgetfulness undid the switching of our bodies. Where as you were a lovely choice for the role of High Goddess, your memory is a tad... well... horrible, really.

A/N: Gee, thanks...

Y/N: I mean, normally such a bad memory wouldn't be such a bad thing, but when powers on par with my own are involved...

A/N: Yes, yes, bad things happen.

Y/N: Very bad things.

A/N: I gathered.

Y/N: Imagine if I forgot I opened a border of dressed and undressed in the human village! It would be rather comical.

A/N: ...Do you plan on doing that?

Y/N: Who says it's not already there~?

* * *

When we were certain that everyone was gone - well, more certain - we headed out into the less deep section of the cave. Walking past the deer whose blood was pooling a tad around the neck, we headed outside.

It was oddly quiet without Mama around. In both word and thought, I could say I missed the noise. I had tears in my eyes at the seemingly inescapable truth, as I asked, "...W-where's... Mama?"

Biting her lip in an effort to fight back her own tears, sister replied, "I... I wish I knew... I really do."

Ignoring a section of red-spattered grass a slight ways into the forest, fearing the worst, we began to search. We searched, and we searched for her until the sky went dark, but we didn't find her. We didn't want to separate, you see - without her around, everything was just a bit scarier, so we held hands the whole time. The only place that still felt safe was our home; the cave, while not the best of shelter, had memories that had quickly become important to us tied to it.

With no hide nor hair of her found, save for the afore mentioned blood, we headed back to the now darkened cave. By this point even the last trace that was left of her, the mote of light, had gone out. We were alone in the dark cave now, with only each other as company. There was a heavy silence that hung in the cave - the same silence that had been there the whole time we were searching. Not a peep had left either of our lips. We wanted to call out to her - I knew my sister did as well - but we didn't. It was as if we had simply accepted that she wasn't coming back. Even if we didn't want to speak, even if we both knew it, we both still waited for her into the late night. We knew she wasn't going to come, yet so desperate were we that we stayed there in the cave - in our new home - huddled together. It wasn't as if we needed the warmth what with it being summer, but we stayed close regardless.

We just both needed to be comforted - to have someone to hug where nobody else was. Eventually, huddled together in the dark, the moon likely near the center of the sky by now, we fell asleep.

* * *

I opened my eyes to find a third person hugging us. I could hardly believe my eyes as I asked, "M-Mama?"

With a smile she opened her blue eyes, and replied, "Yes, sweetie?"

I couldn't help but burst into tears, and held her in a crushing embrace. "I was so worried! W-where were you?!"

About to respond, I tightened my embrace around her, thus knocking the wind from her lungs, and I pressed my face into her breasts, tears streaming down my face. At this she let out a sigh as soon as she had air enough in her lungs to do so. Wrapping her arms around my trembling form, she asked, "I was out in the woods, talking things over with the humans, of course."

I cried and cried into her shoulder, until I could cry no more, and said, "I thought you were... were..." My words drifted off as I spoke.

stroking my hair, Mama said, "Shh... It's alright. I'm here now, sweetie." She gently cooed to me as she whispered sweet nothings into my ear in an effort to calm me down.

Eventually I was calmed, and began to smile. She's not gone after all...

Just then, I felt the sleeping sister begin to shake me, saying, "Wake up, sis... It's okay... stop crying..."

I was utterly baffled by what she meant by that. Just what could she be dreaming about?

* * *

"-tle sis, wake up... Please don't cry..." I slowly eased my eyes open to find myself alone with Koishi, and being gently shaken by her. By the whispers I could faintly tell that she was worried that I was having a nightmare.

As I looked into my sister's brown eyes, she reached up to wipe a tear from my eye. Sniffling a bit, I asked, "It was... it was a dream...? All of it...?"

I burst into tears, and tightly held Koishi in my arms, just as I had done to Mama in the dream. Why did she have to disappear? I want Mama back...

Likely able to gather what I was thinking enough to formulate a response, Koishi cooed gently to me and said, "There, there... Big sis is still here, and she'll never leave you alone. I'll always be here, sis. Even if Mom is gone, I'll always be here."

I looked up at her with the largest puppy eyes, I asked, "R-really?"

Chuckling, and patting my head, she replied, "Really.

I stayed in her arms for some time, enjoying the closeness. Even if Mama was gone, I still had my sister

That would never change.


	8. Hatching

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: Well, here we are again.

Y/N: ...You know, didn't you say this would span five chapters?

A/N: Yeah, well, I thought about just what I was writing. Originally this chapter would have been the end!

Y/N: So you say.

A/N: That I do.

Y/N: So, what did you decide to do?

A/N: I realized that there was indeed more to write! Although, it would require time skipping, among other things.

Y/N: Ahh, I think I see what you intend. Indeed, your original plan _did _leave loose ends.

A/N: Right! So I shall lengthen the story a bit - it shall end at 10-15 chapters at my current projections.

Y/N: It just keeps growing and growing~

A/N: That it does.

Y/N: Is there anything that can be done to help with that?

A/N: No, not really...

Y/N: Technically longer chapters would fix that some~

A/N: ...Noted.

Y/N: Heck, you could probably end at ten chapters if you make longer ones. Maybe nine, even.

A/N: Also noted.

* * *

The first day of the two of us being by ourselves went by rather uneventfully. We had plenty of food, so no hunting was needed. We continued to feel about the same. There was a less depressing silence between the two of us this time.

The next day we polished off the second deer, knowing that we would have to soon find more food.

The third day was more eventful.

As we were carrying a pair of deers back home, I asked, "Umm... I've been meaning to ask you something, Koishi..." I wasn't quite sure how to bring it up, save for being direct about it.

Raising a brow, my sister asked, "Yes? What is it? Your thoughts are too frantic to really make sense of - they've been like that all day, too." We had since begun to be able to make out the thoughts of each other, but only when somewhat near each other, and only when we are calm enough to think at a normal rate.

Not quite sure what to say, I said, "Well, uhh... Ohh, I'm not even sure what to ask... Umm... Are you... seeing strange things?"

Her brow still risen, sister asked, "Like, in my sleep?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, as in right now."

Shaking her head in reply, she answered, "No - why, do you?"

Letting out a sigh, I began to nod. "Yeah... It's like I can see the inside of... _something_. At the same time I see everything else, too... It's like I'm looking at two places at once"

Raising a brow once more, she asked, "Maybe it has to do with how Mom had that strange eye that seemed to just float there, with the strings coiled around her...?"

I hadn't though of that... With surprise apparent on my face, I answered, "Really? I hadn't even thought of that... I wonder why we don't have them yet?"

Shrugging, quite unsure, sister replied, "I have no idea, honestly. Maybe we'll grow one with time. Maybe we already are."

With nothing left to be said between the two of us, we continued the rest of the trip in relative silence, and cooked food when we got home. That box of odd fire sticks that we found in the cave was a blessing when it came to starting fires, at least once we had figured out how to use them. Otherwise we would have had to eat food raw for the past couple days! Before we knew it, night came, and we went to bed.

On the fourth day I awoke to my sister no longer in my arms, and looking about like mad near the once lit fire. Her thoughts were too jumbled for me to gather more than 'so that's what was going on' from them. Rubbing the sleep from my eye, I groggily asked, "Sis, what're you doing...?"

Looking to me, she replied, "...It's the inside of out chests..."

Blinking in utter confusion, I asked, "What...?"

Correcting herself, she added, "The eye - it's inside of our chests, I think... right where our heart is. Was? I think it might _be_ our heart... I get the strangest feelings when thinking about it - alien thoughts that aren't my own."

Looking inside of my kimono, right over my heart, I saw that the flesh was red, and slightly raised. "...Uhh... Sis, I think there's something wrong with my chest..." To show her, I bared myself to her.

In the center of my chest, where the sternum would be, was a red hump the size of an apple. It looked smooth, and shiny - the skin looked slightly disconnected between the red and my pale flesh, as if they were two separate entities.

Sister simply stared at it, and realized something rather quickly. "...It looks just like Mom's eye..." Undoing the upper portion of her own kimono, Sister looked to the center of her chest. While not quite like mine in how it looked, the skin between her breasts was a deep pink, but still looking as if it was one with her as opposed to the way mine looked like it was coming off of me. In short, it looked less developed than my own eye, which looked like it was about to-

With a rather large amount of pain, my ribcage began to expand, as if trying to splay out like wings. It didn't get far, as there was only so far my ribs could go, or so I thought. Before long, the pain intensified, and I began to hear sickening cracks. I blacked out soon after, and fell into my sister's arms. She let out a shriek just as the cracking started, so she was well aware that _something _was happening

There was something important I learned that day - something I would never forget. Mama's words rung truer now than ever. The pain of having the needle stuck in me _was _only an eight.

The feeling of my ribs snapping to allow me to hatch from my own chest was a ten.

* * *

When I awoke, I found myself staring at myself. It was a strange feeling, and yet I had an alien feeling within me that it was normal. It was as if my mind was altering itself to accommodate a new sense of self.

I wasn't just me anymore. I was me, and the eye was me. I was just a host for me, and I gained knowledge that I would die without me. Both halfs of the same coin could not live without the other. As I lay there, staring up into my own eye, staring into my eyes, I knew that I had made the right choice. Was this my own thought, or was this one of the alien thoughts? Am I me, or am I me no longer? We are me. The two of us. We make one whole who cannot live if halfed. We make one whole that is greater than the two parts.

Sister would join us in being whole soon. She should hatch within the day. I was unsure how I knew this, but I did. I knew that sister would soon be one of us. And then we should go look for children of our own. To continue the species we must impregnate more humans. We could force them - they wouldn't mind once the mental changes take effect. They will start to see the light.

I shook my head at myself. No, we can't do that. Then we would be no better than evil eyes. ...Evil eyes? Like the ones Mama mentioned? Shaking the thought from my head, my mind went off on its own once more, as if I were merely watching some show. We would just wear the skin of humans, and get them to agree with a sweet smile instead of brute force. Where as evil eyes just take what they want, we are the good ones. We come to the humans who show promise in the night, and we take them. Not better from an outside view, but it is far better in general.

No, we can easily force them. We must, if we hope to avoid dying out!

No. We are better than that.

We must make more of us.

And we will if we pick and choose.

We would win this war if only we had more numbers.

We will lose this war if we give in to temptation.

We will win with an army of their size!

I grabbed hold of the eye, who was growing wings by this point, and gave it a hard look. "You do not rule me, eye. I am myself. Your sweet words will not tempt me - I am going to succeed where our entire species has failed, but I will do it _my _way."

The skin of the eye began to peel open, and the needle-toothed maw began to speak in sounds I didn't understand. It was as if something spoke in reptilian sounds, and yet, at the same time, I understood them. It was not speaking to me orally - it was speaking mentally. **But we can win this war!**

I let out a sigh, and replied, "We will, but only if we don't let ourselves fall to our instincts. We must fight them on our own grounds."

* * *

Before I knew it, I woke, confused at the seemingly random dream. Even before I opened my eyes, I could see myself with my eyes closed. I opened my eyes with a sigh, prepared for the worst, yet was only greeted by the eye floating there, tethered to my body by noodles of a pale red. Knowing what to do, I began to reach into the folds of the eye that I knew were there, and retrieved one noodle after another. Pinching the end, a familiar spike emerged, and I drove them into the back of my hands, and into the tops of my feet. I grunted each and every time I felt them piece my skin and muscle, but felt better for it. I did not know why, but I felt I was supposed to have them connected to me.

Already knew she was there thanks to my third eye, so I looked to my sister who was sleeping beside me.

I smiled, and snuggled into her, drifting back off the sleep. The center of my chest still hurt, but I ignored it as I cuddled with her.

I look forward to when you hatch, sister.

As I slept, my third eye stayed conscious, and I kept lookout while we slept.


	9. Adjusting

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

R/N: My, this is quite the setup you have here, now isn't it?

A/N: Remilia? What are _you... _Silly question.

R/N: That it is.

A/N: I take it you're here for Koishi?

R/N: That I am.

A/N: ...You're starting to sound like Rumia, Remi.

R/N: Is that so? I would hope that there is at the very least _some _difference between us. Already does my _sister _get mistaken as the darkness youkai.

A/N: She's not a darkness youkai.

R/N: Then what is she?

A/N: An ooze.

R/N: Surely you jest.

A/N: I'm do not jest, and don't call me Shirley.

R/N: ...That was a terrible joke.

A/N: It was a sudden joke - You could say that it came out of thin air.

R/N: That was so much of a stretch that I can hardly tell if that was intentional, or if it was even a joke...

A/N: Yeah, I know... Sorry about that.

R/N: You are quite forgiven, I suppose.

* * *

Gently awakening, I let out a wide yawn and covered my mouth with my hand as it steadily left my mouth in a long moan-like sound. When finally it was over, I groggily sat up and opened one eye to scan the area. Upon seeing my sister in much the same condition as I, my other eye opened, and it joined the first in going wide. Sighing, I asked nobody in particular, "What did I miss...?"

With no one around to answer the question, I pulled myself from the soft bed of straw. I had grown used to seeing from three eyes surprisingly quickly - perhaps it had something to do with all these strange thoughts that were in my head, perhaps not. Nobody I can ask about such a thing, really. Sighing, I once more asked nobody in particular, "I wonder what Mama would say...?"

From the bit of talking I did, I noticed something strange in my mouth, and reached in to grab something that was moving about uncomfortably under my tongue. Looking at it, I yet again asked myself, "...A tooth?"

Feeling around with my tongue, I yelped when my tongue came in contact with something sharp. Opening my mouth back up, I felt around and found that I had a single pointed tooth in my mouth, presumably where the old one had been. Thinking a moment, I began to wonder if I remembered seeing anything like that in Mama's mouth.

Coming up inconclusive, I got an idea. Grabbing my third eye, which steadily and strong beat in my hand as I held on to it, I opened my mouth and pointed it at what was my cause for concern. While my eye was physically pointed at it, the eye itself was pointed towards my nose, and not what I wanted to see in the least. Eventually I got the idea to look about until my third eye was finally trained on the tooth. It was a strange feeling, looking into my own mouth, but I soon grew accustomed to it. It was easy enough to grow used to it to the point that I wasn't bothered by it at all, and instead treated doing as such as a normal thing. When I was finally done looking at the single sharp tooth in my mouth, I let go of my third eye and it swiveled until it was facing the same direction as the rest of my eyes. Thinking back to the strong beating I felt from ut, I considered that maybe Koishi had a point - maybe this thing really _was _my heart...

Satisfied that I had examined myself thoroughly enough, I looked to my sister again. She had the top of her kimono undone, her breasts hanging out, and a large hole in her chest between them. Strangely, it didn't bleed, but it was still a hole in her body the size of an apple. It was certainly not something normal. Well, normal by human standards, anyways. Seeing as I too seemed to have one between my far less developed breasts, I could only conclude that it was in fact _quite _normal for a _satori_. Fixing my sister's kimono to protect her modesty, I ended up finding it best to simply ignore the string that stuck out of that crater in her chest, as it certainly got in the way with dressing her upper torso. By ignoring it, it simply stuck out from her clothes like a stray thread thick enough to be used in soba.

Repeating the process I had just gone through with my own eye, I pulled artery after artery from the sides of the strongly beating thing, got each to produce a needle, and finally inserted the four things into her hands and feet so as to help her blood flow through her body.

With that done, I got together some of our surplus of twigs and broken parts of tree branches into a pile. With our strength, we could easily break apart even the largest of branches, making collecting wood far easier than it once was. We didn't have to just stick to collecting the small twigs that we once collected anymore as such, not that we had only recently started doing as such - we had been doing as such for a little under a week now.

Looking at the pile of twigs and chunks of wood, I began to search my mind for more of that now familiar alien knowledge. I needed to start a fire to cook the last of the deer, but I wanted to do it like Mama did it. I just had to make a beam shoot from my eye. Easy enough, right? That small joke now out of the way, I focused inwards, and began to concentrate. I felt as if concentrating would make everything come to me, and everything would become clear to me. And so I sat in seiza on the cool, rough stone of the cave floor, and began to clear my mind. Closing my eyes that could be closed, I found myself soon finding myself swimming through my own knowledge. Everything I knew, down to the smallest thing, was before me. Much of it, however, I did not know. I knew I should know it, as that was only natural, but I didn't. And so I set to work going through every last alien though that I had before me, and learned great control of my own power over the course of the next hour.

When finally I was done, I looked to the fire, and my third eye effortlessly fired a beam of heat at it strong enough to set the small pile of wood ablaze. I couldn't help but let out a silent cheer at my accomplishment, and as such smiled to myself, happy to have done what I set out to do. With that out of the way, I began to cook food for the two of us in part out of the hope that it would wake my sister up without needing me to go out of my way to wake her. Food generally worked well enough in doing that, I've found. The other part of why I was was cooking should be obvious.

I was hungry, and felt as if Sis would be as well as soon as she was up.


	10. Known Unknown

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: And here we are again!

Y/N: Where?

A/N: Excuse me?

Y/N: Where are we once again?

A/N: Uhh... same place as we always are?

Y/N: It's a blank slate until you tell us~

A/N: W-well, uhh...

Y/N: We're waiting~

A/N: Shush, Yukari! I'm trying to, uhh...

Y/N: Think of some place to send us out of the blue?

A/N: Ohh, now you made me lose my place!

Y/N: This isn't a... well, okay, I suppose this _could_ be considered a book of sorts, if only a digital one. ...Now stop stalling.

A/N: Eek! Erm... Aha, I, umm... I have no idea where we might be, Yukari!

Y/N: Atleast you're being honest now.

A/N: How about the ice planet Ho-

Y/N: No, then we would need to add Mister Lucas to our disclaimer.

A/N: Uh... How about... a field of sunflowers?

Y/N: Boring...

A/N: How about making it be on fire?

Y/N: Must I end your life, Author~?

A/N: Eek! Sorry, Yuuka! ...Hey, wait, stop using the same designation as Yukari...

Y/N: Make me~

A/N: Ugh...

* * *

Using one of the things I discovered in my thoughts, I willed my heart back into my chest. If I do this just right, I should be able to fool others into seeing me without this part of me... I just have to practice it a little on the obvious dummy. From beside me, Koishi became a bit offended, saying, "I'm not a dummy, Sis... I have no idea where you even got that idea from! For all you know, I could be smarter than you!" By now her hair had lost that chocolate brown color that it once had, and gained a stormy grey with a hint of green to it. Gone were those brown eyes, and in their place were green eyes that matched that ever unblinking third eye of hers, the flesh of which being a healthy pale red.

Raising a brow, I asked the obvious question of, "Wouldn't I know if you were? ...Getting this back on track, before we end up on some sort of tangent, I didn't mean dummy in that sense. ...Shouldn't you have realized that, if you bothered to make use of knowledge taken from my mind?" By this point my own short black hair had turned a soft pink, and my eyes now matched the dark pink of the third eye which was ever present.

Flinching at the mention, my sister answered with an awkward laugh, "W-well, I did after I was already saying that, so..."

I let out a sigh, and playfully admonished, "Sometimes I have to wonder if you're really the older sister... Maybe my hatching first is a sign that I should be the older sister." I let out a giggle, before adding on a more serious note, "After all, I'm usually the more mature one. I mean, when was the last time you did something befitting of an older sister?"

Choosing to ignore my comments on how she acts like a little kid sometimes, my oh so obviously older sister asked, "So, what's this about me being a dummy?" While we truly had no need to speak to each other about anything, we decided to do it anyways, even if only to help pass the time. It was a strange sounding habit on paper, but it was a good time waster in practice.

Getting to the point, I stated, "Well, can you see my third eye?" It was now or never. All I had to do was make a conscious effort to hide it, and it should be hidden.

Tilting her head, Sister asked, "Where did it go?"

That means it worked! I began to celebrate a bit in my head at that, which was enough to cause my sister to knit her brow at me. Realizing I was annoying her a bit, I ended my repeated enthusiastic chanting of the word yes, and said, "Well, as I said before, I gained a lot of knowledge about being a satori by way of meditation. Among those things, I learned how to hide our eyes."

Raising a brow, she said, "But I see your eyes..."

Pinching my brow, I corrected, "The _third _eye, Koishi."

Blinking in realization of what I had meant, Sister began to look me over in hope of finding my eye. When she failed to find it again, she asked the rather obvious question once more, this time even more confused. "Where did it go...?" Her words trailed off a bit by the end a bit, perhaps indicating that she was a bit tired of asking that question.

Deciding to show instead of tell, I bared my chest, and allowed it to be seen once more. I let out a happy sigh at this, as it took a bit of constant effort to keep it hidden. Finally receiving her answer, sister stared at my chest a bit, asking, "You stuck it back in the hole, and did... something?"

Nodding at the answer, I replied, "That's right. I stuck it in the hole, and I hid it from you in a way my mind told me I could."

My sister gave me a bit of a look at that, as if to voice her displeasure at my vague directions on how to do it. Before she could properly voice her thoughts on the mater, her mind suddenly was ablaze with thoughts of cats, and how cute a certain one was, earning her a raised brow just before a cat jumped on my head. She locked fingers with herself and said, "Orin, you're so cute~"

With the cat in question now atop my head, I asked the obvious question, "Orin?"

Picking the cat from my head like a particularly large and furry louse, Koishi replied, "Kaenbyou Rin! I named this little kitty that~"

While I already knew all of this, I acted surprised when I asked, "How did you you hide a cat from me...?"

Grinning, Koishi replied, "She's very stealthy when she wants to be."

I shook my head with a sigh at that. Well, at least now I can stop acting as if I don't know it's there. Still surprised that Koishi found a cat while hunting for a deer. She apparently looked so weak, too...


	11. The End

Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

A/N: Ahh, yes... _That _is actually a very good question, my reviewer.

Y/N: Why your chest is so small?

A/N: Ye- What?! No!

Y/N: Why you are updating so sparingly of late?

A/N: N- Well, yes, that is a good question, but that's not the correct question.

Y/N: Wh-

A/N: Enough, Yukari... They asked why I put my A/N's at the top of the page.

Y/N: Ohh, that's easy. You're lazy!

A/N: I don't want to hear that from you of all people, Miss I-sleep-through-the-winter-just-because-it's-cold! 

Y/N: Well, it is...

A/N: Quit pouting at me, it's not going to make me view you any better.

Y/N: Heck, you sleep 10-12 hours a day these days!

A/N: I never said I wasn't a hypocrite. I like the comfort that sleep brings. Sometimes I get to be happy...

Y/N: So, ignoring that bit of depressing truth, what was the answer to the question?

A/N: Well, I have it at the top of the page so that I know how long it is! Quite the simple reason, really. That, and I might forget to talk to my subjects otherwise. I would hate to forget to do an A/N!

Y/N: And you don't want to have to keep fixing it as it goes down the page due to how FF works.

A/N: Indeed. Anyways, how about we get on with the show?

* * *

Today is the day we do it; today is the day we do something quite foolish, most likely... Today we are using this ability to hide ourselves from humans. It's been ten years since we were last home, and by home I mean our original home. The parents that gave birth to us, instead of the one that allowed us to be reborn as satori. With our second mother gone, we gradually began to feel more and more awkward staying out on our own. Why stay out when we could live among what we once were? Worst case scenario, we get run out of town. It's not as if we've actually done anything, so I seriously doubt more would be done. Of couse, there is always the chance that more will be done, but again, I trust those we once lived among to not do as such.

We easily made our way past the gated wall of the village, as we looked perfectly normal. At worst we looked like travelers who were making our way through a village. At best, we would be recognized immediately and guided to our parents. In the end, neither of these things happened and we instead wandered about aimlessly in hopes of being found by someone - anyone - who knew us.

Eventually we ran into one of our parents themselves, and they were quite speechless to see us. It was Father, but... somehow I felt distant from him. It was as if something was done to my mind to make me not see him as a parent anymore. Another of the changes from becoming a satori, perhaps. Regardless, he was quite surprised to see us. He made this quite apparent by way of throwing his arms around the two of us and openly weeping. Apparently he had thought us dead, which was a rather expected circumstance. We simply assured him that we weren't dead, and he led us home.

Home... this place, it... it just doesn't feel like home anymore. At least the difficulty of hiding my eye from a massive number of people is over, and instead I now can focus on talking without needing to hold on for dear life. Koishi seems to be doing better. Well, she had been, as we certainly are no longer having the issues of before. Now we simply have to worry about passing for... ourselves. Of course, the first query was as to why we hadn't aged a day since we went missing. Of course, we had no particular answer to such a question, and instead simply lied. We said we didn't know why we weren't aging, but it had been like that ever since we were kidnapped. Of course, it left a bad taste in both of our mouths to lie about such a thing, but it wasn't as if we could really do anything about it.

Now that we were 'home' we were reintroduced to our first mother. She wasn't quite as spoken about things, but she too threw her arms around the two of us. She seemed overjoyed to see us again. Said that she had thought we were dead and gone _far _more bluntly than Papa did. She too asked us the obvious question of why we both looked twelve and fourteen respectively, and once more we told that same lie. It left that same horrible taste in our mouths, but there was little we could do about it. We were trying to live in the village once more, and we needed a place to stay.

The years went by rather slowly at this point, and we slowly watched our parents wither away before us. At first it was a few grey hairs, but by the end every last hair on their heads were grey. Try as they might, they simply couldn't find suitors for either of us. Every would-be husband seemed afraid of us. They seemed that way because they were. They were afraid of how we were un-aging. They feared us for little reason, really, but they feared us none the less. And so this continued as it always had.

One day while tending the fields, Papa simply collapsed. He died from the sun on that day. It was a strangely numb feeling the both of us felt. We had to force ourselves to cry for first Mama's sake. Like the love bird that she was, first Mama soon joined him, leaving the two of us alone in our simple home. With no husbands, we were forced to hunt for ourself once more, and gained money from the skins. We decided to learn how to cure hides, and used the skill we acquired in this to build up quite the store of furs. They were very warm, and helped us through the winters.

Once more the years rolled on by like nothing, and we soon found that we had outlived anyone and everyone that we had ever known. Well, that we had ever known at the start of our lives. The ones who feared us were all that remained. The thoughts were becoming restless to the point that they eventually started to become angry with us. The fact that our fingers had become long and blade-like hardly helped us look less fearsome, and in fact was a good portion of why we were feared. Not because we killed and skinned deer with our bare hands, obviously. As such, we began to work on selling the furs we collected over the years, and gained plenty of money with which to start anew.

However, it wasn't meant to be. After the last of the furs were sold, days later we heard the cries of angry mobs outside our humble home. The thoughts within their heads demanded blood. We gathered the last of our furs, and all of the money, and we fled. They of course gave chace, and we eventually we were chaced to a cave we had never entered before.

We ran deeper and deeper into the seemingly endless cavern, and we eventually found something that surprised and amazed us. We found a massive ancient city inhabited by oni. To think that oni were real... We were surprised to find this out, obviously. We were so very surprised. They were surprisingly friendly, too. The leader of them, Yuugi, saw strait through our little illusion that tricked her brethren and was surprisingly okay with things. Apparently all the oni had headed underground after they grew sick of the tricks the humans would regularly pull. Of course, there were some that stayed behind on the surface, but the vast majority came down.

We lived among the oni for years, but Koishi never recovered from the betrayal of the humans. Eventually she went so far as to somehow close her eye - an act which I thought impossible - and suddenly was gone. I openly weeped to myself for a short time, and eventually found the cat that Koishi had been keeping had followed us down here. We had obviously left her to fend for herself for years, and yet here she was. Where as our once fellow men fell to old age, Orin was just as young as when we first began to take care of her. It had been some thirty years, so it was far from strange that I was speechless at the happening. If only she had arrived sooner, maybe Koishi would still be here.

Eventually, as the years went on, I found that the evil spirits were adverse to being around me. They didn't want their minds read so badly that they would hole themselves up in the depths of hell. Due to this, I was eventually dubbed the queen of hell or some such title. I hardly cared, really. All that I cared about was that this title allowed me to stay in the nicest building around. The Palace of Earth Spirits, Chireiden. It was a sprawling mansion of solid stone, with great big doors on the front.

To help fill the void that Koishi left behind, I began to collect pets of all types from the underground and beyond. I never left, but I had Orin to help me gather pets. She eventually grew to an adequate age to become a youkai, or some such thing. I never was sure how youkai animals worked. After all, normally animals die of old age. Perhaps staying around we satori was enough to lengthen the life? Regardless, she became my right hand woman, and together we cared for the animals. Of course, behind closed doors I treated her like any of the other animals, and simply gave her cratches behind the ears, under the chin, and on her belly. She always did love those things.

Eventually, I met a particularly large raven in the most unexpected of places. You would expect such a creature to be outside the confines of a cave, but it was within the fires of hell itself! Needless to say I was surprised, and called it to me. Surprisingly, this was enough, and the raven that could brave the fires of hell itself landed before me, and tilted its head at me curiously. I smiled at it, and named the beast on the spot. Reiuji Utsuho, I named her. A fitting enough name, or so I thought.

Even more surprising still, she followed me home, and allowed me to care for her. She trusted me blindly to the point that it was slightly ridiculous, honestly. Who hops after a random little pinkette who says the word food...? Not that I minded, as it gained me my very most favorite pet of all, Okuu, but still.

After this point, nothing happened for about two hundred years.

Thinking a moment, one member of my audience asked, "And then... Okuu started acting up, and gained the power of that dead god, right?"

Smiling, I nodded at the question. "That's right."

Letting out a thoughtful hum, the other half of my audience asked, "And after that, the next thing of particular note was Koishi, right?"

Once more I gave a nod, and once more I answered, just as I had before, "That's right."

With certainty, the blonde said, "And then you met us, right?"

Chuckling with a smile, I replied, "That's right. And then I met you two, and you know everything that happened after that."

Nodding, the brunet replied, "I would certainly hope so. I mean, it's not like you're hiding anything from us, right?"

Sighing, I replied with and honest smile, "If I were to hide anything, it would be the levels of pain you will be feeling soon. Thankfully you won't have to feel the full pain, like your mother and I did. The two of us intend to share the pain with us, you know?"

Nodding, the brunet agreed, "Point. You could have hidden that like your own mother did."

Wincing, I replied, "Hey, now... She may have intended to, and just not... had a chance to..." I was just as much trying to make the two of them believe that as I was trying to make myself.

Sighing, she added, "You know that's not the truth, Aunti." She didn't need to be able to read minds to know that, although it won't be too terribly long until she can. And then we will see if we can teach her and her cousin how to talk as if they _don't _already know what the other will say. Quite the nice skill to have. Especially when one must act covertly, and doubly so when acquiring a child.

Giggling, the bubbly blonde said, "Thank you for telling the whole story again, and at more of a length." Grinning, she added, "And now we know why you call Koishi your little sister, even if she also calls you little sister! You're both the little sister in a sense, right?"

At this I nodded my affirmation, answering, "That's right."

With that said, I smiled, and laid down on the bed I was sitting on the edge of. I had just retold the tale in more detail this time, and it had taken me late into the night. A youkai I may be, but only fae don't get tired. I soon drifted off in my odd positioning, caring naught for two that had been sitting across from me. Of course, I was still as conscious as when I was awake, but that was the norm. Just as when I was young, I still to this day had to watch myself sleep every night. I never was sure of the mechanics behind my mind still being in use while I rested, but I never really cared all that much about such a thing. As I slept, the two of them kissed my cheeks and left me to my rest.

The rest of the night was without incident, and I rested in peace, my eye ever watchful. Well, my love did come to bed at some point, and rested beside me. My eye of course cuddled with him in a rather constrictive way, but he didn't particularly mind that. He actually quite enjoyed the beat of my heart all over his body. Thought it was relaxing. After I had my fill of cuddling his sleeping form, I allowed myself to dream of him, and what our future might bring.


End file.
